Apparatus for dehydrating and warming air.



G. D. HARRIS & J. S. PO'LLARD.

APPARATUS FOR DEHYDRATING AND WARMING AIR.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 4, 1912. 1 131 835 Patented M3116, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

o o o o 0 O WITNESSES ATTORNEYS G. D. HARRIS & J. S. POLLARD. APPARATUS FOR DEHYDRA'IING AND WARMING AIR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.4,1912.

Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A M2 um fl m Mm ,4 fie L0 m M a MW 0 WITNESSES A'rs nna FENCE,

GORDON DON HARRIS, F BAY SHORE, NEW YORK, AND JAMES S. PQLLARD, OF BAYONNE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORS T0 GENERAL IDEIHIYJDRA'TOR COMPANY, OF

NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OFNEW: YORK.

i APPARATUS FOR DEHYDBATING AND WABMIN G AIR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar, 16, 1915,

Application filed January 4:, 1912. Serial No. 669,360.

at Bay Shore, Suffolk county, and State of New York, and JAMES S. POLLARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bayonne,

- Hudson county, and State of New Jersey,

have invented a certain new and useful Apparatus for Dehydrating and Warming Air, of which the following is a specification;

This invention is an apparatus for expeditiously and economically dehydrating and warming air tobe used particularly for dehydrating edible and other products, such as fruits, vegetables, and other substances which it is desired to dehydrate without changing their substantial characteristics except in the elimination of moisture therefrom.

The complete apparatus embodies a power plant, such as a steam boiler and engine, an air preheater adapted to utilize the products of combustion fromthe boiler, said combustion products being drawn thereto by an exhauster or fan which serves the function of a smoke stack in producing a draft through the boiler furnace, a second air heater adapted to beheated either directly from the boiler though preferably by the exhaust steam from the engine, suitable dehydrators for eliminating moisture from the air prior to introducing it into the aforesaid pro-heater and heater, and means for cooling the water which circulates through the air dehydrators.

The water cooling means embodies the principle of cooling by rapid evaporation induced by bringing a large volume of air into contact with extended moisture-com taining surfaces exteriorly of the liquid to be cooled, thereby resulting in great economy of/ operation.

' In the specific embodiment of the water cooling means, We employ a series of tanks for containing the Waterto be cooled, each tank being provided with means exteriorly thereoffor keeping the surface of the tank moist, a blower and exhauster for subjecting these moist surfaces to a large volume of air whereby the water in said tanks, due to the rapid evaporation from their surfaces, is quickly cooled; The water to be cooled is circulated through the tanks by means of a pump and in a reverse direction to the path of the air Which is used to effect the evaporation on the surfaces of said tanks.

The water cooling apparatus is so connected with the air dehydrators that the cold water coming from the former apparatus is introduced into and circulated through Said dehydrators by means of a pump which may be the same pump which forces the water through the water, cooler. The said cold water is introduced into the air dehydrators for the purpose of condensing'the moisture from the air, it being brought ,into indirect contact therewith, thereby pro- This dry cool air isv ducing dry cold air. then introduced into the preheater where its temperature is raised by the products of combustion from the boiler furnace, whence it passes through the heater where its temperature is further raised by the exhaust steam from the engine.

The apparatus described results in great economy of operation for the purposes designed, and'it will be noted that the contributing factors to sucheconomy are the utilization of the waste gases from the boiler furnace for heating purposes instead of allowing them to escape directly into the smoke stack, the direct use of the exhaust steam from the engine for heating the dehydrated air, the efiicient method of cooling water based on rapid evaporation of vapor from the surface of the water cooler, and the utilization of the resulting cold water to dehydrate the air prior to heating the same. It will thus be observed that the system is complete within itself, and that the means adapted to conserve and utilize all the energy of the original fuel must necessarily result in great efliciency and economy of operation.

In the accompanying drawings, we have illustrated different practical embodiments of the invention, but the constructions defined therein are to be understood, only, and not as defining the limits of the invention.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic View in plan illustrating the several elements composing the apparatus of the present invention for cooling Water, cooling and dehydrating air, and subsequently heating the air to the re present invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional diagrammatic view taken through the water cooling mechanism, the air cooling and de-. hydrating mechanism, and the air heating mechanism. Fig. 3 is a vertical section with parts broken away illustrating one of the chambered plates employed in the air dehydrating mechanism. Figs. 4, 4, 5 and 6 are views illustrating dilferent embodiments of the means for cooling Water by the rapid vaporization of moisture in contact with the surfaces of the chambered plates.

A designates a casing provided with an air inlet a, and an air outlet or flue a, the latter being adapted for supplying dehy drated warm air to a suitable treating chamber B ,'which treating chamber may be of any suitable form or construction so as to utilize the dehydrated warm air in the treatment of any substance desired. The interior of the chamber within casing A is divided by partitions b, b, b so as to produce several compartments B, B, B The compartments B contain a series of chambered members C, one ofwhich is positioned opposite to air inlet a so'that the first plate of the series is directly in the path of air flowing through inlet a. Any desired number of chambered plates C maybe used to effect the dehydration of air, but-the number of plates will depend in a measure .upon the condition of the air supplied to the casing A by the operation of a fan ornblower D, the latter being positioned Within or opposite to air inleta to the casing, As shown more particularly in Fig. 3, which represents one of the chambered plates employed in the air dehydrator, the plate C is composed, preferably, .of metal plates so ass'embledas toproduce a chamber 0, within whichis adapted to circulate cold water for the. purposeof. keeping the surfaces of member (J .at such a low temperature as to correspond to the dew point, 2'. e.,'-when air containing moisture flows into contact with the surfaces of member C, the moisture'present in the air is deposited in the form of dew orwater upon the surfaces which are kept in a cold condition by the water permitted to circulate through chamber 0. Each -pl ate.() is'positioned within a com- .partment B so as to stand at an angle to the walls of said compartment, and the first plate extends upwardly from. the bottom of its compartment above the air'inlet a, whereby the air is caused to flow in an upward direction at one side of, and in contact with, theplate, and in a downward direction upon the opposite side and in contact -with the" plate. By inclining each plate the infiowing air is more or less throttled as it passes toward and over the top of the plate, and is similarly throttled as it flows toward the bottom of the plate, this throttling of the air having a tendency to cause a whirling motion within the passage way so that difierent films or strata in the air current will be brought into intimate contact with each surface of the water cooled plate. This whirling or eddying of the air takes place in each of the series of compartments, and thus the air as it flows through the series of compartments .will be.

forced into close contact with the successive "7 chambered plates, whereby the air will be partly de rived of its moisture by contact with the first plate 0, and it will be further deprived of its moisture by contact with the successive plates U of the series. As

before stated, the number of plates will apparatus. The chambered plates composing the series are connected by suitably arranged pipes as at o for the circulation of water through the plates in seriesybut, ob-

viously, the arrangement of the pipes may be modified as desired. Furthermore, the

water of condensation resulting from the deposit of moisture upon the surfaces of. the plates is trapped from casing A by suitable pipes cconnected with a common pipe 0 communicating with a trap pipe 0 see Fig. 2. Water is caused to circulate under pressure through the chamberedplates by means presently described. J

In one or more compartments B positioned intermediate the partitions b, b are two or more stacks or coils of heating pipes D. These pipes are of suitable diameter to provide for the free circulation therethrough of the waste gases and products of combustion from a furnace E. As shown diagrammaticall in Fig. 1,'furnace E is not pro? vided wlth a stack or uptake for the prod-. ucts of combustion, but the smoke outlet 6 is proyided with a suitable smoke'destroyer e of any suitable form known to the art for the purpose of' removing the" sediment and carbon from the products of combustion. The furnace outlet 6 is shown in Fig. 1 as being connected with a suitable header. 6 with which communicates the air heating coils D so that the waste gases from the furnace will circulate in series through the coils. In the absence of the stack or uptake from' the furnace, means are provided for inducl ingthe circulation of the waste gases from. said furnace, said means being in the -form V merges of an exhauster F having communication with heating coils D through a header f, see Fig. 1. The operation of exhauster F results in a flow of the waste heat and gases from furnace E through air heating coils D, as well as the inflow of air through the grate chamber necessary to support combusnarily heat the air by utilizing the spent gases from the boiler furnace.

In the compartment B of casing A-are two or more series of air heating coils G adapted to utilize the exhaust steam from an engine H, whereby the air flowing through, over, and around coils G will be raised to the temperature desired for treating the material in chamber B The steam heated coils are connected with the engine by an exhaust pipe 9, and the water ofcondensation resulting within said coils is discharged by suitable pipes g into a trap h, from whence the water of condensation is returned by a pipe 72, back to the boiler. Obviously, any desired number of coils, and

any desired arrangement or construction of coils, may be employed in the final air heating coils to utilize the exhaust steam.

The water cooling apparatus employed for dehydrating and warming air to be supplied to a treating chamber of any suitable character, embod es in its construction a suitable form of casing I adapted to contain a series of chambered plates J, the number of said plates being suitable for the purpose of cooling the water to a desired temperature by the rapld vaporization of water from the surfaces of the plates. Casing I is of any suitable form and dimensions, the same being provided at one end with an air inlet 2' and at its other end with an air outlet 2'.

' Suitable means are provided for securing a circulation of air in the required volume through casing I; as shown, a blower K and an exhauster K are positioned at or within the air inlet 2' and air outlet 2', respectively. The blower K operates, mainly, to force the required Volume of air into and through the I casing so that the air will have contact with the moist surfaces of the chambered plates J therein, whereas exhauster K operates, mainly, to carry off the heavy moistureladen air contained in the casing and resulting from the absorption of the moisture from the surfaces of the chambered plates J by the air blown into the casin by fan K.

Casing I is divided interiorly series of relation to chambered plates J as to result in the formation of a zigzag passage through which the air is caused to flow as it travels through the casing, whereby the air flowing through the casing is brought into intimate contact with the surfaces of plates J.

Various forms of construction of the chambered plates J are shown in Figs. 4:, 4, 5 and 6 of the drawings, either of which forms of construction, or any mechanical equivalent thereof, may be employed in the apparatus for cooling water in accordance with the present invention.

As shown in Figs. 4 and 4, each chambered plate J isinthe form of a metal tank, the walls of which are composed of copper or other metal having high conductivity properties for heat and cold. -lo effect the cooling of water adapted to circulate through the chambered plate, the outer surfaces of said plate are provided with layers L, L of an absorbent material, which layers are kept in a. moistened condition by small uantities of water supplied through perorations Z provided in the walls of the plate, so that the air circulating through the casing I will be brought into contact with the moist surfaces afforded by the saturated layers L, L, the effect of which is to carry off the moisture from the surfaces of the plates and to. cool the water by rapid evaporation.

The layers of absorbent material L, L may be composed of felt, fabric,'paper, or any other suitable material which will rapidly absorb and give ofi' the moisture. The perforations Z in the walls of the tank are rather small so as to minimize the loss of water required to keep the absorbent ma- .terial in a moistened condition, and at the same timeprovide for the outflow of a sufiicient quantity of the water necessary to maintain the layers of absorbent material in said moistened condition, the aim being to preclude the air circulating through the casing from drying out the layers of absorbent material upon the surfaces of the plates.

Instead of supplying water from plates J through perforations Z to moisten the layers of absorbent material, a tank with imperforate walls may be employed as indicated at J in Fig. 5. The tank J is provided with layers of absorbent material L, L on the outer surfaces thereof exposed for contact with air, and the water required to keep these'layers L, L is supplied by a pipe or pipes M, from which pipe or pipes the water is permitted to trickle in such quantities as will result in keeping the layers L, L in a wet condition.

Instead of employing the metallic tank with exterior layers of absorbent material, a tank constructed as shown in Fig. 6 may be used. As there shown, the tank is composed of a'skeletonmetal frame 0 and slabs of porous earthenware O. The slabs are composed of clay or other suitable material prepared in adesired way, and. they are set and held in openings of frame 0 so as to constitute the walls of the chambered water tank. The earthenware walls permit the percolation of sufficient water from the chamber of the tank to keep the outer surfaces of said tank in a moist condition, and

as these outer surfaces are exposed ,to the air flowingthrough'casing I, it follows that the heat present in the water will be carried off by the evaporation process, as a result of which the water will be lowered to the required temperature. A

As hereinbefore stated, any desired num- 'ber of chambered plates or tanks may be positioned within casing I of the water cooling apparatus. These chambered plates are connected by pipes p for the circulation of water through them in series.

Means are provided for effecting the circulation of water in a positive manner, the

water circulating through the chambered plates contained within casing I in an opposite or reverse direction to the flow of air through said casing; as shown in Figs. 1

and 2, air circulates from'left to right through casing I by the action of blower K and exhauster K, but water circulates from right to left through the chambered plates within casing I. The water circulating means is shown as consisting of a pump Q, the same being adapted to effect the circulation of water through chambered plates C of the air dehydrator'as welhasthrough the chambered plates J of the water cooling apparatus. As shown, pump Q, has its outlet connected by a pipe g with oneof the chambered plates J so that water will be forced through the series of plates from one end of the water cooler casing to the opposite end thereof, whence the water flows through a pipe 9 to one of the chambered plates C of the air dehydrator, the final plate of said air dehydrator having connection by a pipe (1 with the intake side of the pump.

The pipes may be arranged as deemed expedient by the skilled engineer, and if desired,cold water may be supplied to the chambered plates of the air dehydrator by a system of headers and valves'ad-apted to control the flow of water through the individual chambered plates C, although it has not been considered necessary to illustrate this particular adaptation of the'means for controlling the flow of water through said plates C.

The water cooler-apparatus may occupy any desired relation to the air dehydrating and Warming elements of the system. Obviously, the water cooling apparatus may be positioned at one side of easing A. either above or below-it. Should the conditions be suchas to warrant the arrangement, the

water cooler apparatus may be located in the cellar or basement of the building and be connected-with the air dehydrating and warming devices by suitable pipes, the necessary'circulation of water-between chambered plates J and C being effected by the operation of a pump. Under certain circumstances, however, it is preferred to position the water cooling apparatus in line, and in front of, the air. dehydrating apparatus, a sufficient space being left between casings A, I', to provide for the outflow of moistureladen air from casing I without interfering with the intake of atmospheric air-by cast should be stated that the chambered plates J are positioned within the compartments of casing I in the same order as chaming I bered plates 0 are positioned within casing A. It follows that plates J are inclined relative to the walls and partitions of easing I so that the air will flow upwardl along one side of each plate and downward y along the opposite side of the same plate, the air being throttled by the taper in the passages so as to secure the eddying or whirling effect of the air adapted to flow into contact with.

the moist surfaces of plates J.

- When the apparatus is in use, water is tact with chambered plates C, preheater D and heater G. The air flowing through inlet a is brought at once into contact with the cold surfacesv of the first plate 0, the effect of which is to condense a certain proportion of the humidity or moisture contained in the air by contact with said cold surfaces of the first plate. The air flows into contact with the second plate'of the series by which a further percentage of the humidity or moisture is removedotherefrom, and this action takes place successively by the contact of the air with the series of plates which may be in service. The air is thus deprived of its moisture and it flows into contact with preheater D so as to utilize the heat of the waste gases for preliminarily heating the air, and

the final heating of the air is efl'ected by its.

circulation into contact with the steam heated coils G, whereby the dehydrated and warmed air is adapted to flow through outlet a into the treating chamber B. It is to be noted that the air blown into contact with chambered plates C will be cooled and y condensed therein soithat the avatefpresent inusaidlplatesj will absorb to 1" a: certain extent the-heatfrom. theiair; The water is forced from the plates IO into plates QT by thefoperiatio'n of pump.- Q. -Accord- 'ingly, the water ispumped, through said plat-es J-'.1n an' oppositejdirection tothecirculatio'mof air though. casing I. As previfl .;ou sl-y stated, the surfaces; of plates J are kept ina moistened condition-by any ofthe I 'fdevices heretofore"described, or their mechan'ical'equivalents, and by circulating- -air through said casing- 1, by theoper'ation of I f blo,wer K and 'exhauster =K", -the I moisture Y which is'to cool the Waterin said: plates J,-

will ,be rapidly evaporated,;the. efifect; of

"the cold waterbeing, returned byf'the pump" ously and automatically so that the. :necessary volume ofwarm dehydrated air will befl'p'roduc'ed .Withr efliciencyand economy.

or humidity therefrom, andqis heated to the temperature required for use' infldesiccating 2 Havingi'at-hllsj ribed" the. inven- "'tjon, what e claim as new,. an'd desire'to ...-,.se cure by Letters'Patent is tanks. a

' 3; Ina system of -the class described, a

1. In'an'appara'tus of-the' c1ass'desc'ribed,-' V a water cooler embodying a casing, a series offcommunicati'ng tanks positioned therein, eac of said "tanks" being "provided with "meansfor keepin'g'the surfaces. thereof in a v..- moistened-condition, mean ..for"-blowijng air into contact with the moistenedssurfaces fof said tanks, andjmeans for circulating water 2. In an apparatus of -the class described, -water cooler embodying a'ca'si'ng, a series offcom'municating' tanks position d w-therein, I provided with means forkeepingthe surfaces thereof inn-- moistened condition, means for exhaustin each of said tanks beingmeans -.fo

moisture --laden air from-said. casing,-

r circulating Water throng water cooler embodying-"a casing, a series at a communicating tanks positioned- *therein, 5

into contact with the moistened surfaces of said' tanks, means for exhausting moisturesurfaces of the tanks,

'ling' 'a-iia-a dehydrat.

-s aid' f tion opposite to that; which air QiT I i1 cula'tigng water through said tanks.

4. In a systemfof the class descrihe'd,la

water cooler embodying'n ,chambe'redcasingga series of communicating tanksposi tioned Within said casing, each of said tanks thereofin a moistenedcon'dition, means for.

, circulating air through said casing, means fordirec'ting-the airin a'tortu'ous path andinto 'intin late Contact with the moistened latingwater throughfsaid tanksn v and means for ci'rculaden air from the casing, and. means for 'cir h having means forkeeping the surfaces.

".15, lln-a 'system' of the class dtescribed, at

1 Water cooler embodying: a chanibere'd Ices:

ingga series of chamberedtanks-positioned? ithinsaidvca'sing,each of. said tanks having-means for keeping the surfaces thereoi I inl-a moistened condition, means for circu'- lating air in oneldirection through the cas ing and into contact with the moistenedsur- 'jfaces of thetanks, and means for circulat 'ing' water through said-tanks in an 0np0- i fifln a system of the class described, a

Water cooler embodying a' -ohambere d cas- '1ng,-a series of chambered tanks positioned 'within-saidca'sing,.eachof said, tanks haymg means for keeping the surfaces thereof pump for effecting the circulation oftWater "sitedirection' toithat in which air circulates h ,v "throughthe casing. The air-1s treated'so as tOBlIl'XIlIlfitBlTlOlStllIQ throughsaid chambered tanksandfin an 'op-= posite, directi'on to thatlin which the air circulates through the'casing.

.lati'ng-w'ater' through thetank s in adirec- 1 )In testimony'whereof we have signed our names to this's'pecification in the presenceof "two subscribing'witnesses. a, q. each of said; tanks'hein provided with 1 means-for keeping thesur aces'th'ereof'in amoi'st ened condition, meansfor blowing air through said "casing and bringing fsaid air.

eonnon non Harlem anus arom n;

7. In a 'systemo-f theclass described, a Water cooler embodying a casingprovided with interior. baflles, a series of water-tanks each having means'for keeping the surfaces thereof in 'amoistened condition, said'tanks 'cooperatingiwith 'the'baffles so as to produce a tortuous air passage: within the casing, means' for jcirci'ilatinig. air within the air -.pa-ssagefand into contact with ,the'moistened surfaces of the tanks, and means for cir'cut- I flat 

